{"id":3539,"date":"2025-05-14T16:57:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T16:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/2025\/05\/14\/returning-home-at-last-a-fragile-new-chapter-in-northern-syria\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T10:14:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T10:14:12","slug":"returning-home-at-last-a-fragile-new-chapter-in-northern-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/blog\/returning-home-at-last-a-fragile-new-chapter-in-northern-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Returning Home At Last: A Fragile New Chapter in Northern Syria\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jasper Vaughn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The past six months have brought both upheaval and hope for people displaced by conflict in northern Syria. Since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, more than 470,000 refugees have returned to Syria, and more than 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs)<\/a> \u2014 those displaced within the country, either within host communities or in temporary settlements or camps where Global Communities provides lifesaving assistance \u2014 have gone back to their areas of origin. While this movement represents progress toward stability and security for Syria, many challenges remain for families returning home to rebuild their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Challenge Ahead<\/strong> for Syrians Returning<\/strong> to Their Areas of Origin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important infrastructure such as roads and power and water systems remain damaged after years of conflict, and sporadic clashes between ethnically affiliated armed groups continue to put civilians at risk. Unexploded ordnance \u2014 left behind weapons and ammunition such as landmines \u2014 also presents significant danger for those returning.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cPeople are eager to return,\u201d reports Hans Bederski, Global Communities\u2019 Country Director for Syria, but limited economic opportunities combined with ongoing violence and \u201chardly any efforts at mine clearance\u201d mean that many families are not transitioning as safely and quickly as they should. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Compounding these challenges, dramatic reductions in funding for humanitarian assistance over the past several months have left relief agencies \u2014 including Global Communities \u2014 with limited or no resources to meet ongoing needs for camp residents and returning populations. Humanitarian groups estimate that the U.S. government\u2019s recent cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have resulted in the termination of more than $237 million of U.S. aid to Syria<\/a>, which in turn has had a \u201cripple effect\u201d on other donor governments withdrawing funding, according to Bederski.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global Communities\u2019 Response<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite ongoing insecurity and gaps in humanitarian funding, Global Communities staff and displaced families in Syria see many opportunities to usher in a new level of stability and security for IDP camp residents and people returning to their areas of origin. Thus far, Global Communities has focused its response efforts on several camps in northern Syria, which were particularly underserved during the government transition and abrupt funding cuts earlier this year. Our staff provide vital food, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance in the region, and in 2024 alone, these programs reached more than 320,000 people with aid.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A program participant in northwest Syria\u2019s Al Zaitoun camp buys food from the market with cash and vouchers provided by Global Communities\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Global Communities\u2019 longer-term goal, however, is to go beyond temporary measures for camp residents and promote self-sufficiency and stability by supporting people who have returned or are in the process of returning to their home communities. An aid strategy that only <\/em>targets camps could shift returnee flows and even incentivize some family members to stay behind instead of returning to their places of origin, Bederski notes. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWe want to invest in \u2018pull\u2019 factors,\u201d or aid that makes returning to areas of origin more viable such as economic support, basic shelter repairs, and access to essential services like electricity and sewage systems,” he says. This assistance could help families achieve greater stability and reduce the likelihood of their return to camps, which are not meant for long-term residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n
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Global Communities staff monitor the transport of safe drinking water in northwest Syria\u2019s Atmeh camp\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Under supervision of Global Communities staff, a service provider cleans the riverbed in Atmeh camp in northwest Syria\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

While Global Communities remains focused on the most urgent humanitarian needs within IDP camps, additional funding could expand assistance for returnee families, providing support to restoring homes and livelihoods, and agricultural kits to help with the first planting cycle for those rebuilding in rural areas. These efforts could help hundreds of families resettle successfully, secure a first harvest and prepare for the coming winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do Today<\/strong>

Donate<\/strong>: With your support, we can ensure that families affected by conflict and disaster don\u2019t just survive \u2014 they rebuild, recover and thrive. Give now<\/a>.

Learn more<\/strong>: See how our work in Syria<\/a> is making a difference today and laying the foundation for long-term recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jasper Vaughn The past six months have brought both upheaval and hope for people displaced by conflict in northern Syria. Since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December 2024, more than 470,000 refugees have returned to Syria, and more than 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) \u2014 those displaced within the country, either within…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3544,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[149,331,168],"gc_country":[10,25],"gc_area_of_expertise":[46],"class_list":["post-3539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-humanitarian-assistance","tag-idps","tag-syria","gc_country-middle-east","gc_country-syria","gc_area_of_expertise-humanitarian-assistance"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReturning Home At Last: A Fragile New Chapter in Northern Syria\u00a0 - Global Communities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/blog\/returning-home-at-last-a-fragile-new-chapter-in-northern-syria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Returning Home At Last: A Fragile New Chapter in Northern Syria\u00a0 - Global Communities\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Jasper Vaughn The past six months have brought both upheaval and hope for people displaced by conflict in northern Syria. 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